1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of model aircraft and, in particular, to vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the problems in building micro-sized vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft is to make them light enough to maintain flight and to counteract the gyroscopic effects of the rotating fan or propeller so that stable flight is obtained. On a model helicopter aircraft, it is difficult, but not impossible to design a tail rotor to balance the torque. An example of a toy helicopter design can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,545 Rotary Wing Model Aircraft, by R. E. Arlton, et al. A small two-cycle engine is used to power both the main and tail rotors. A gear assembly allows the tail rotor to be driven at three times the speed of the main rotor to balance torque.
Of course, counter-rotating propellers would generally solve the stability problem, but it overly complicates the design of the vehicle and raises its cost. Another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,839 Toy aircraft And Method For Remotely Controlling Same by D. Dixon. Here a pair of horizontally ducted propellers are mounted to a frame. Also mounted to the frame are a pair of wings. The propellers provide lift as well as the wings, which rotate due to the frame reacting the torque of the propellers. While simpler than a helicopter, coupling power to the two propellers requires a complicated drive system.
Thus, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a vertical takeoff and landing miniature aircraft.
It is another primary object of the invention to provide a vertical takeoff and landing miniature aircraft that is inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vertical takeoff and landing miniature aircraft that balances the rotational momentum of the propeller with counter rotation of the aircraft to provide stable flight.
The invention is a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft including a hollow support structure. A motor is mounted vertically to the support structure. The motor, preferably an electric motor is included having a propeller for rotation in a horizontal plane. A power supply for the motor, preferably a capacitor is mounted to the support structure below the motor. A plurality of fins extend radially outward from the capacitor. Vertical posts are connected to the ends of the fins that extend upward and terminate in proximity to the rotational plane of the propeller. A ring is mounted horizontally to top of the vertical posts in proximity to the plane of the propeller to protect the propeller should the aircraft strike a wall or the like.
The torque produced by the drag of fins as the aircraft rotates in the opposite direction reacting the torque of said propeller is set equal to the torque of the propeller necessary to achieve hover. In addition, the rotational inertia of the aircraft is made equal to the rotational inertia of the propeller. Thus the aircraft will climb and descend in a stable manner.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which the presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.